Lip-operable spill-proof container

ABSTRACT

A lip-operable spill-proof container ( 1 ) comprises (A) an open container base ( 2 ), (B) a lid element ( 4 ) comprising a lid edge ( 5 ) mountable on said container base and with a valve seat surface ( 7 ) directed to the inside of the container, perpendicular to a longitudinal axis ( 8 ) of the container, and (C) an at least partially flexible valve element ( 11 ), comprising ( 1 ) a valve body ( 12 ), ( 2 ) a valve flange ( 13 ) extending from the valve body with a valve surface ( 14 ) that faces said valve seat surface, and ( 3 ) a control element ( 15 ). The lid element has a carrier ( 16 ) positioned inwards from said lid edge ( 5 ) and mounted to said lid edge, and the valve element is provided with a mounting rim ( 17 ), that engages the carrier ( 16 ) and allows movement of the valve element ( 11 ) along the longitudinal axis of the container by elastic deformation of the valve element ( 11 ).

The invention relates to a lip-operable spill-proof container according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such containers are used for the drinking, in particular by sipping, of beverages, such as hot coffee or tea, and also cold milk etc, in circumstances where an open container would easily lead to the spilling of beverage. For instance, a moving car and also the holding of a baby or small child in one hand while holding a container in the other hand would provide such circumstances.

The patent publication WO 02/11587 A1 discloses a lip-openable container, comprising a container body for containing liquids and having an open top end; a removable cap hermetically sealed to said container body about its said open top end, said cap having a depending skirt with a ledge that extends radially inward from said skirt, forms a valve seat and defines a central opening; and a removable lip-openable lid for sealing said central opening of said cap, said lid comprising a gasket having an upstanding, lip engageable wall, said wall being disposed within said central opening and extending upward beyond said ledge, a flexible central panel radially inward of and communicating with said wall, said central panel being comprised of a flexible elastomer and having an integral flexible member that depends from said central panel, and a peripheral flange extending outward from said wall and having an upper surface, and a rigid support that supports said central panel of said gasket and maintains said flange in normal sealing engagement with said valve seat, said rigid support comprising a base, a central section, and liquid flow openings extending through said support, said base being maintained in position by being in contact with a surface of said container or said cap, said central panel of said gasket and said central section of said support each having securing means that are engaged with each other and flexibly secure said gasket to said support, said central panel of said gasket being capable of flexing and stretching downwardly in an area radially inward of said wall of said gasket to allow a portion of said upper surface of said flange to be displaced from said valve seat when lip pressure is applied against an adjacent portion of said wall of said gasket. An embodiment of this container is rotationally symmetrical, i.e. essentially cylindrical of shape, the axis of symmetry extending through the container body bottom and the lid.

In the known container of WO 02/11587 A1, the lid is operated by the lips; for sipping beverage, the upper lip pushes against the periphery of the lid, against the bias of the elastic valve, and depresses the lid.

Although the valve in WO 02/11587 A1 allows for a reliable closing of the container, and only a small surface of the lid and valve are permanently exposed to the liquid in the container, its construction is complicated, which leads to high manufacturing costs such as molding matrix costs. In particular, the rigid support is complicated.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lip-operable container of the type mentioned in the preamble that has a simplified construction, in particular with respect to the rigid support.

This goal is realized by the container having the features of claim 1.

According to the invention, the carrier on the lid element and the mounting rim cooperate to carry the valve element. The fluid path, that was between the lid edge and the valve in WO 02/11587 A1, is now between the lid edge and the carrier. As a result, the valve element no longer needs the rigid support of WO 02/11587 A1 and is still operable in closing and opening the container.

Further advantages of the container according to the invention, are that the assembly and disassembly of the container is relatively simple, which is e.g. useful when cleaning the container.

In an embodiment, the mounting rim consists of a second valve flange, that is flexible and extends from said valve body and covers and engages the top of said carrier and a circumferential top surface of said edge, and seals the container when the valve element is in said first position.

In this embodiment, the double valve provides an improved anti-spill function, since it captures the liquid that is present above the lower positioned valve and second valve. The second valve also combines the function of elastically suspending the valve element, of which it is a part, and the function of valve, thus maintaining a relatively simple construction.

In another embodiment the circumferential top surface of said edge and said longitudinal axis enclose an angle that is larger than zero degrees and smaller than 90 degrees. As a result, the valve element is self-centering, which is beneficial for maintain effective valve operation over time.

Another embodiment has an annular container and lid, with the carrier in the shape of an annular wall. The latter comprises on its side oriented towards the longitudinal axis of the container at least one spiral-shaped groove, which groove interrupts the wall and extends from its bottom to its top. The advantage is that the valve element, at least the valve body and the valve flange, can be mounted on the lid element in a simple manner, by a screwing movement relative to the lid element.

In still another embodiment, the valve body and the valve flange are integrated and consist of a flexible material on a frame of rigid material, which frame extends at least in the valve flange and part of the valve body. The rigid material keeps the valve flange in its originally manufactured shape. This allows for an improved valve-function, since a flatter valve surface is obtainable, resulting in fewer leaks.

In yet another embodiment, the control element of said valve element is provided with a stop surface that limits opening movement of said valve body. This prevents the valve element from being pushed out accidentally into the inside of the container.

In an embodiment, the valve flange is provided with three or more projections on the opposite side of the valve surface. This has the additional advantage that the valve flange, after washing it, may be put down and will then dry entirely, apart from the relatively small projections.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the control element comprises of a top-element extending over most of the top-side of the container, from which top-element a mounting flange extends downward, wherein the valve body extends over the entire cross-section surface between the carrier circumference, apart from some play, and is provided with a cylindrical groove surrounded by rigid valve material, which groove accommodates the mounting flange in a clamping manner.

In this manner, a container is obtained that can be assembled and disassembled in an easy manner, thus e.g. reducing the amount of labor required for cleaning the container.

In still another embodiment, the mounting flange is provided with an opening near its top side. This opening provides an air outlet resp. inlet channel that further simplifies the assembly resp. disassembly of the control element on the valve element.

In one more embodiment, the mounting flange has a sufficiently large dimension in the longitudinal direction of the container to enable a transport-and-stock mode of the container, as opposed to its use mode, in which transport-and-stock mode the valve element is mounted below the carrier instead of between the carrier, and the control element is mounted directly on the carrier, and the valve element and the control element enclose the carrier.

The transport-and-stock mode has the advantage that the flexible part of the valve element is not loaded, and as a result it maintains its original shape and good elastic properties for a longer period of time.

In a final embodiment, the container is rotation-symmetrical around its longitudinal axis, the lid element is fixed on the container base by means of a screw connection, and an O-ring is provided between the container base and the lid element. The advantages of rotation-symmetrical shape are known, e.g. from WO 02/11587 A1. For instance, one has to pay less attention to how the container is held; sipping is possible from all 360 degrees. Additionally, the presence of an O-ring also provides for an overpressure relief valve.

The invention will now be clarified on the basis of the Figures, in which corresponding components are provided with corresponding reference numbers.

Herein show:

FIGS. 1A and 1B a lip-operable container according to the invention, respectively in a side view and cross-section over A-A in FIG. 1A,

FIG. 2 the container of FIG. 1, in a perspective exploded view, in FIG. 2A from above and in FIG. 2B from below,

FIG. 3A-F views of components of the container of FIG. 1: FIGS. 3A through 3E the lid element from different angles, and FIG. 3F the O-ring,

FIG. 4A-B views of the valve element of the container of FIG. 1 from above resp. below, and

FIGS. 5A and 5B the container of FIG. 1 in identical views as in FIG. 1A resp. 1B, but with the valve element and control element mounted in the stock-and-transport mode.

In FIG. 1, a lip-operable spill-proof container 1 according to the invention has a container base 2 provided with an open top side 3 (see FIG. 2), a lid element 4 with a lid edge 5 mountable on the circumference of said top side 3 of said container base 2. The lid element 4 is provided with a valve seat surface 7 directed to the inside of the container 1, perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 8 of the container. The longitudinal axis 8 is directed from the bottom side 9 of the container base 2 to its top side. The lid element 4 supports a partially flexible valve element 11. The latter has

1) a valve body 12 extending across at least part of the area enclosed by said lid element,

2) a valve flange 13 extending from the valve body 12 and provided with a valve surface 14 that faces said valve seat surface 7, and

3) a control element 15 at the top side of the valve element 11.

The lid element 4 is provided with a carrier 16 positioned at a distance inwards from said lid edge 5 and extending along the lid edge 5 circumference and mounted to said lid edge 5 by means of a radial bridge member 10 (see also FIG. 10). The valve element 11 is provided with a mounting rim 17.

The mounting rim 17 consists of a second valve flange 18, that is flexible and extends from said valve body 12 and covers and engages the top of said carrier 16 and a circumferential top surface of the lid edge 5, and seals the container 1 when the valve element is in its first position (shown in FIG. 1).

In a variant to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, not-shown in this document, the circumferential top surface of said lid edge 19 and the longitudinal axis 8 enclose an angle that is larger than zero degrees and smaller than 90 degrees. This provides a self-centering feature of the valve element, and thus provides proper valve operation even after intensive use of the valve.

In FIGS. 3D and 3E, it is shown that the container 1 and the lid element 4 are annular and said carrier 16 has the shape of an annular wall, and comprises on its side oriented towards the longitudinal axis of the container at least one spiral-shaped groove, which groove interrupts said wall and extends from the bottom to the top of said wall, or carrier. Between the carrier 16 and the lid edge 5 a liquid channel is thus formed.

In the embodiment shown, the valve body 12 and the valve flange 13 are integrated and consist of a flexible material on a frame 31 of rigid material, which frame 31 forms part of the valve flange and a cylindrical part of the valve body 12. This is shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. FIG. 1B does not show that the valve body 12 consists of two kinds of material, for the sake of simplicity.

The control element 15 of the valve element 11 is a separate part, in this embodiment, and provided with a stop surface 22 on a stop flange 21. The stop surface 22 limits opening movement of the valve element 11.

The valve flange 13 (see FIG. 4) is provided with four projections 23 on the opposite side of the valve surface 14, i.e. on the bottom side of the valve element 11.

The control element 15 comprises a top-element 24 extending over most of the top-side of the container, from which top-element 24 a mounting flange 25 extends downward, wherein the valve body 12 extends over the entire cross-section surface between the carrier circumference, apart from some play, and is provided with a cylindrical groove 26 surrounded by rigid valve material 31, which groove accommodates the mounting flange 25 in a clamping fashion.

The mounting flange 25 is provided with an opening 27 near its top side, in order to allow air to escape from the closed space that is created when the valve element 11 and the control element 15 are put together. The opening also allows air to enter this space, when disassembling.

The length of the mounting flange 25 is chosen sufficiently large to enable a transport-and-stock mode of the container, shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, as opposed to its use mode shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. In the transport-and-stock mode, the valve element 11 is mounted below the carrier 16 instead of in the space enclosed by the carrier, and the control element 15 is mounted directly on the carrier 16, and the valve element 11 and the control element 15 enclose the carrier 16.

The lid element 5 is fixed on the container base 2 by means of a screw connection comprising a screw thread 30 on the lid element (see FIGS. 3B-E) and on the container base 2. Between the container base 2 and the lid element 5, an O-ring 29 is inserted. This O-ring 29 serves to close the container in a reliable manner, and to open it before the inside overpressure of the container reaches a value high enough to damage or destroy the container.

The operation of the container is as follows. The valve element 11 engages the carrier 16 when the container 1 is closed and allows movement of the valve element 11 along the longitudinal axis 8 of the container 1 by elastic deformation of the valve element 11, in this embodiment deformation of the second valve flange 18, between a first position in which the valve flange 13 seals the container and a second position in which a fluid path is present from the inside of the container 1 along the valve flange and between the edge and the carrier to the outside of the container. FIG. 1 shows the container with the valve element 11 in its first position, i.e. closed. Movement of the valve element 11 is obtained by applying pressure on the control element 15, usually by the upper lip, possibly also by a finger or thumb. Possibly, pressure-relief is obtained by using a finger or thumb, and subsequently the upper lip may be used for sipping.

For all components of the container according to the invention, appropriate materials should be selected. Advantageously, these materials are suited for cleaning the container in dish-washing machines, and/or for withstanding the varying temperatures of the container, e.g. when hot beverages are kept in it. The valve element should remain its elasticity even after extended use. None of the materials may have an odor or taste, in order to keep the original odor and taste of the beverage intact.

Variants are possible, to the embodiment shown in the Figures. For instance, the valve body 12 and valve flange 13 may be comprised of two separate parts.

Component list:

Container 1 Container base 2 Top side of container base 3 Lid element 4 Lid edge 5 Circumference of top side 3 of container base 1 6 Valve seat surface 7 Longitudinal axis 8 Bottom side of container base 9 Bridge member 10 Valve element 11 Valve body 12 A valve flange 13 A valve surface 14 A control element 15 Carrier 16 Mounting rim 17 Second valve flange 18 Circumferential top surface of lid edge 19 Spiral-shaped groove 20 Stop flange 21 Stop surface 22 Projections 23 Top-element 24 Mounting flange 25 cylindrical groove 26 opening 27 screw connection 28 O-ring 29 Screw thread 30 Frame of rigid material 31 

1. Lip-operable spill-proof container, comprising a container base provided with an open top side, a lid element comprising a lid edge mountable on the circumference of said top side of said container base and provided with a valve seat surface directed to the inside of the container, perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the container, which longitudinal axis is directed from the bottom side of the container base to its top side, and an at least partially flexible valve element, comprising 1) a valve body extending across at least part of the area enclosed by said lid element, 2) a valve flange extending from the valve body and provided with a valve surface that faces said valve seat surface, and 3) a control element at the top side of the valve element, characterized, in that the lid element is provided with a carrier positioned at a distance inwards from said lid edge and extending along the lid edge circumference and mounted to said lid edge, and the valve element is provided with a mounting rim, that engages the carrier and allows movement of the valve element along the longitudinal axis of the container by elastic deformation of the valve element, between a first position in which the valve flange seals the container and a second position in which a fluid path is present from the inside of the container along the valve flange and between the edge and the carrier to the outside of the container.
 2. Lip-operable spill-proof container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said mounting rim consists of a second valve flange, that is flexible and extends from said valve body and covers and engages the top of said carrier and a circumferential top surface of said lid edge, and seals the container when the valve element is in said first position.
 3. Lip-operable spill-proof container according to claim 2, wherein the circumferential top surface of said lid edge and said longitudinal axis enclose an angle that is larger than zero degrees and smaller than 90 degrees.
 4. Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the claims 1-3, wherein the container and the lid element are annular and said carrier has the shape of an annular wall, and comprises on its side oriented towards the longitudinal axis of the container at least one spiral-shaped groove, which groove interrupts said wall and extends from the bottom to the top of said wall.
 5. Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the valve body and the valve flange are integrated and consist of a flexible material on a frame of rigid material, which frame extends at least in the valve flange and part of the valve body.
 6. Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said control element of said valve element is provided with a stop surface that limits opening movement of said valve element.
 7. Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said valve flange is provided with three or more projections on the opposite side of the valve surface.
 8. Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control element comprises of a top-element extending over most of the top-side of the container, from which top-element a mounting flange extends downward, wherein the valve body extends over the entire cross-section surface between the carrier circumference, apart from some play, and is provided with a cylindrical groove surrounded by rigid valve material, which groove accommodates the mounting flange in a clamping manner.
 9. Lip-operable spill-proof container according to claim 8, wherein said mounting flange is provided with an opening near its top side.
 10. Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting flange has a sufficiently large dimension in the longitudinal direction of the container to enable a transport-and-stock mode of the container, as opposed to its use mode, in which transport-and-stock mode the valve element is mounted below the carrier instead of between the carrier, and the control element is mounted directly on the carrier, and the valve element and the control element enclose the carrier.
 11. Lip-operable spill-proof container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the container is rotation-symmetrical around its longitudinal axis, the lid element is fixed on the container base by means of a screw connection, and an O-ring is provided between the container base and the lid element. 